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May. 13th, 2008 @ 08:05 am Schmap Offers iPhone-Friendly Travel Guides [Travel]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289511484/schmap-offers-iphone+friendly-travel-guides

http://lifehacker.com/389933/schmap-offers-iphone+friendly-travel-guides

schmap_iphone2.jpgFree travel guide site Schmap has crafted a pretty nifty interface for iPhone and iPod touch users looking for spots to hit while traveling. Navigate to the city you're traveling through, pick a category like restaurants or banks, and scroll through the vertical list of results. Flip your iPhone/touch sideways, and points from the section of the list you were scrolling through are mapped out, and contact and directions info are provided when tapped. Pretty handy for finding notable spots nearby without having to cross over applications. Point your iPhone or iPod touch to the link below to access the web app (but regular browsers can head there as well).

Schmap [via TechCrunch]


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[info]lifehacker
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 07:30 am Alphabetize Firefox's Bookmarks [Firefox Tip]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289485624/alphabetize-firefoxs-bookmarks

http://lifehacker.com/389799/alphabetize-firefoxs-bookmarks

Firefox-logo.png When Firefox's bookmarks are a scattered mess of links, you can restore order instantaneously by alphabetizing them. Simply reordering the column in the Bookmarks Manager won't do it though—you've got to invoke the context menu. Macworld explains:

Select a folder full of bookmarks in the left pane of the Bookmarks Manager window. The right pane will fill with that folder's contents. If you want to sort all the items in the right pane by name, just Control-click (Ed: Windows users, right-click) on an item in the right pane and choose Sort By Name from the contextual menu. Firefox will first organize folders alphabetically, and then follow those folders with alphabetized items that carry URLs.
If you're a heavy bookmarks user, your newly alphabetized list will be a lot easier to navigate.
Alphabetizing Firefox bookmarks [Macworld]


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[info]lifehacker
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 07:03 am Keep Your Muscles Healthy, Not Big [Fitness]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289476547/keep-your-muscles-healthy-not-big

http://lifehacker.com/389898/keep-your-muscles-healthy-not-big

biceps_cropped.jpgThe New York Times' Well section has reassuring news for anyone hitting the gym and not seeing results. Many researchers agree that muscle size and definition are not as important to your long-term health as those muscles' endurance and strength, which prevent atrophy and weakness in old age:

To maintain endurance, you should engage in activities that pump blood to the muscles, like walking. For strength, you need to lift weights, concentrating on what Professor Fitts calls the antigravity muscles, those of the back and legs. And, he adds, you should also maintain arm strength.

While there's nothing wrong with having a beach-worthy set of abs or biceps, the article notes that genetics, and gender, may prevent many from doing real sculpting, so it's better to make sure those muscles actually work. Photo by pecdec200.

More Than an Exercise in Vanity [New York Times]


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May. 13th, 2008 @ 08:14 am A Peek Into The Post-Christian Future

http://www.wildhunt.org/2008/05/peek-into-post-christian-future.html

Ruth Gledhill of The Times examines new survey data on religious attendance in Britain, and the results aren't looking too good for Christianity.

"Church attendance in Britain is declining so fast that the number of regular churchgoers will be fewer than those attending mosques within a generation, research published today suggests ... Churchgoing [Christians] across all denominations in England will fall from about 3 million today to about 700,000 in 2050. In Wales it will tumble from 200,000 to 42,000 and in Scotland, from 550,000 to 140,000. The figures take into account the recent boost to Catholicism from the number of Polish immigrants to Britain, particularly in Scotland."

The new data comes from UK-based Christian Research, who regularly publish updates on church attendance and adherence in their "Religious Trends" studies. While the Times article gives special focus to Muslim fortunes in this brave new (projected) Christian-minority world (at least in terms of attendance), the rising tide of declining Christian attendance raises all religious minority boats.

"The forecast to 2050 shows churchgoing in Britain declining to 899,000 while the active Hindu population, now at nearly 400,000, will have more than doubled to 855,000."

So if Muslims and Hindus are going to benefit, what about the Pagans? According to the last British census, there were around 40,000 Pagans in the UK. But many Pagans believe there are a lot more, from conservative estimates of nearly 300,000, to (un-sourced) articles claiming there are a million Pagans. If census growth rates hold steady in the next fifty years (and if these latest projections hold true for all non-Christian faiths), religion in Britain won't be taken over by Muslims, instead we can look forward to a Britain locked in a precarious balance between the remaining Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Pagans.

Aiding the growth of minority faiths will be the economic decline of Christianity in Britain. As attendance drops, the large institutional structures maintained by the Church of England and the Catholics will become unsustainable. Something that could happen in less than thirty years.

"The fall - from the four million people who attend church at least once a month today - means that the Church of England, Catholicism and other denominations will become financially unviable. A lack of funds from the collection plate to support the Christian infrastructure, including church upkeep and ministers' pay and pensions, will force church closures as ageing congregations die."

Of course, predictions of future events could always be altered by factors yet unforeseen. However, it does give us a glimpse of how a post-Christian world might look, and what our place might be in such a world. Will we be ready for a time when modern Pagans hold political office (and pandered to by politicians looking to get into office), are looked to for social guidance, and considered completely mainstream? We in America may get a preview of such a world sooner than we think in the UK.

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May. 13th, 2008 @ 06:30 am freshAIRapps Lists and Reviews Adobe AIR Apps [Web Applications]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289453546/freshairapps-lists-and-reviews-adobe-air-apps

http://lifehacker.com/389883/freshairapps-lists-and-reviews-adobe-air-apps

freshair_logo.jpgIf you've been tinkering with (or just thinking about) Adobe's multi-system AIR platform and wondering if any apps are worth your time, James Whittaker has made the answer much easier to find with freshAIRapps. The directory offers ratings and reviews of many new and new-to-AIR apps, including:

Got a useful AIR app you don't see on freshAIRapps? Submit it to the site, and share it in the comments.
freshAIRapps [via ReadWriteWeb]


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May. 13th, 2008 @ 06:00 am Get More from Ubuntu's Uncomplicated Firewall [How To]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289444445/get-more-from-ubuntus-uncomplicated-firewall

http://lifehacker.com/389865/get-more-from-ubuntus-uncomplicated-firewall

The Ubuntu Unleashed blog has an excellent guide to the ins and outs of the Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw), a new feature in Ubuntu Linux 8.04, or Hardy Heron, that makes it easy to control the traffic into and out of your system. While turning on the firewall is as simple as typing sudo ufw enable, you can do a lot more with ufw, including:

  • Check the status of ufw with the ports in the listening state: sudo ufw status
  • Block a single host: sudo ufw deny from {IP address}
  • Allow all access to port 80 (for web serving): sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
Hit the link for a handy bookmark or printout that lets you control your net security with single terminal commands.
Howto: Use, setup, and Take advantage of the New Ubuntu Uncomplicated Firewall UFW [Ubuntu Unleashed]


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[info]lifehacker
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 02:00 pm Merry meet!
Current Location: Ponders End
Hi, im new to the community and just thought i would say hello! I have been a practising wiccan for ten years now and currently live in north london at uni. I don't know any other pagans in the area so would love to meet people following similar paths to me. 

Blessed be!
 
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[info]jennyraven, posting in [info]londonpagans
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 10:01 am ISO Video Camera Recs
We are looking at video cameras - and are in search of recommendations.

We're looking for something relatively small, that records onto a hard drive instead of a DVD because it's easier for me to edit from that. Ideally, an image stabilizer and a good ability to film indoors without it turning green or weirdly coloured.

Any recommendations or thoughts about what else we should look for?

(and thanks to [info]rookie131 for the lovely new icon!
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[info]heidi8
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 05:30 am Improve Your Listening by Mirroring Gestures [Conversation]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289432779/improve-your-listening-by-mirroring-gestures

http://lifehacker.com/389844/improve-your-listening-by-mirroring-gestures

convo_gestures.jpgFailing to listen during an important conversation not only requires you to ask questions later, it can give off the impression of not caring, even if it's really just bad habits. Workplace consultant Gretchen Neels tells the New York Times' Shifting Careers blog that subtly "mirroring" the gestures of the person you're listening to—they lean their head to the left, you lean to the right—can push your brain into listening and leave a reassuring impression.

While this might sound odd, apparently this kind of activity puts you into the same groove. Ms. Neels says that if you are with friends and feeling very connected, you are probably mirroring each other's body language since it's something people automatically do in situations where they are comfortable.

Not a bad trick, but you might want to practice it on a spouse or a friend who can laugh at you first. How do you force yourself into receptive listening if it's not in the cards for that moment? Share your tips in the comments. Photo by b d solis.

What? [NYT / Shifting Careers blog]


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May. 13th, 2008 @ 05:00 am FuelFrog Tracks Mileage from Twitter Posts [Gas]

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/289399453/fuelfrog-tracks-mileage-from-twitter-posts

http://lifehacker.com/389793/fuelfrog-tracks-mileage-from-twitter-posts

fuelfrog_cropped.jpgFree fuel-tracking service FuelFrog provides a sevice you could technically do yourself, but it's a lot more convenient than keeping a paper journal and doing monthly division work. Whenever you fill up your car, you can Twitter FuelFrog with your miles since the last fill-up, price per gallon, and gallons pumped, and your data will be graphed and tracked to show you how many miles per gallon you're getting. It can serve as visual reinforcement to start driving for fuel efficiency, or just a confirmation of your car's real-world mileage.

Fuelfrog [via Download Squad]


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May. 13th, 2008 @ 09:33 am sectumsempra
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[info]melusinahp mentioned today in her LJ that reports from the HBP set confirm the filming of the Sectumsempra scene! This is my absolute favorite part of the whole book, and probably the favorite scene for most H/D shippers (aside from the broomstick ride in DH). Yes, I am obsessed with this scene in which Draco is "slashed with an invisible sword"and with Harry: it's so ripe with sexual tension. I've mentioned it in many of my fics, and my very first fic begins right in the middle of it. It's such an intimate moment for H/D; when Draco is at his most vulnerable, and it's just the two of them, alone with each other, in a brief moment when time stopped, before Snape dashed in and took Draco off Harry's hands.

I've always wondered what would have happened if Snape hadn't come in. Would Draco have died? Would Harry have helped him, or tried to save him? Would it involve Harry giving Draco CPR or binding his wounds? Or attempting to staunch the blood flow with his body? Would Harry have burst into tears? Or would he have suddenly remembered a miraculous remedy from Snape's old textbook? Anything could have happened.

What I hate most about Sectumsempra is that in the next scene Harry is ambushed by Ginny and then it goes directly into their relationship without a single mention of Draco, though I know Harry must have been haunted by what he'd done.

I've heard some people worry that Sectumsempra wouldn't be in the movie, but I've never doubted it. I do worry, though, that they might not give it the attention it deserves. But of course, the filmmakers are basing the movie on JKR's book, not on slash fanon. We'll have to make our own movies someday. ;)
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[info]anthimaeria
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 01:35 pm (no subject)
I've found the coffee and a coffee machine. But I can't see where one puts the water. I am deeply suspicious of coffee machines. I am sure the are all only a Mark Rimmell away from an explosion. This is why I drink in coffee shops. Best to leave it to a trained pro.
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[info]markrimmell
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 12:51 pm Don't Blink
Now Playing: Romeo & Juliet
Tags: ,
Stephen Moffat won a BAFTA Craft award for writing Blink. Hooray. I'm pretty sure he'll get the Hugo for it, too.

*waits for this year's Moffat two-parter with bated breath*

(If any non Doctor Who fans are reading this, the episode Blink is well worth checking out anyway. Pretty much perfect.)

Also, finally got around to sorting out photos from last weekend - here's some photos from London.

( Highlights )

I am currently "subtitling" the Proms, which means "listening to Tchaikovsky". Yay.

(Edit: note to self: "cadenza" and "credenza" are different, and if you mix them up on BBC Four, people will laugh and point.)
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[info]pickwick
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 01:20 pm (no subject)
Arrived in Charlottesville ok. I think most of the hour delay yesterday was due to paperwork.

I have a new friend. Bear who seems to like me.

I seem to have caught up with my sleep.

Need coffee right now but as I am in an American kitchen there isn't a kettle, so I am at a loss as what to do.
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[info]markrimmell
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 01:15 pm Kamikaze Cookery rough edit
Would you be interested in coming round, viewing, and commenting on the first episode of our cookery show Kamikaze Cookery on Friday evening?

We could do with half a dozen people to look at it and point out the problems.

If you're interested in doing that, leave a comment! It'll probably take about an hour.
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[info]cairmen
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 12:10 pm Blessed Be!
Current Location: Ponders End
Now Feeling: anxious
Now Playing: Liam Frost- The Mourners of St Pauls
Tags: , , ,
Greetings!
This is my first post in this journal, and I guess I should try and explain what it is about. I'm doing this as much for myself as I am for anyone else who reads this! Basically I have been studying wicca and paganism for ten years this summer. I started when I was thirteen and this August will mark my 23rd birthday. However, i have never really immersed myself into the wiccan way of life. I did once, when i was alot younger and I was naive enough to let myself "out of the broom closet" so to speak in a very public manner, for which i suffered a great deal at he hands of my peers and neighbours. Fuckers.  So anyway, I decided recently that I'm going to take the plunge and start my journey on the pagan path once more.  I want to meet people who are also on the path and mainly i want to use this journal to document my life and see how it changes as I delve deeper into the wiccan ways!

So, here goes!

Yesterday we went to view a house. I currently live in a rat/mouse/cockroach infested ex-turkish brothel above a dry cleaners, next door to a possible growhouse and in the noisiest, dirtiest and stress inducing place i can imagine. I live with some of my best friends and we cant wait to get the fuck out of here. So yesterday we went to view this house we found on the internet. And its PERFECT. It's in the nicest area ever, 2 mins away from my uni, i get to have a massive room compared to the tiny shoebox i currently reside in, its being completely decorated as we speak- new kitchen and new bathrooms, it has a cute little low maintenance garden (absolutely PERFECT for growing herbs) AND its really cheap. But the icing on the cake is right outside the front door....a forest. A proper little woods with lots of paths to explore and TREEEEEES. I cannot explain how much this would mean to me. GREEEEN. The lack of green at my current location has actually caused me to suffer from depression, a nervous breakdown and some rather serious physical side effects too. My family live in nottingham and i have been going home more and more often just to see some green! So anyway, we want this house. REALLY want this house. But unfortunetly, whilst the other four people have the deposit and first months rent all ready, my boyfriend and I are currently so poor we cant afford to eat. Well, I cant. He lives at home with his parents who feed him lol. And now i dont know what to do. There is nobody I can borrow the money from, my parents are struggling with money and I am in serious trouble with the banks. I was planning on going home this month for the summer and working to save money for the deposit but it has to be paid in 4 weeks. And even if i could get my share I dont know if daniel can as he too is currently unemployed.
So now I'm thinking, it may be time to work a little magick, just to help clear a few obstacles from my path. I have had the worst year of my life and feel like maybe it is time for some good luck. 

Its a tuesday today which is possibly not the best day, thursday would be better. But tuesday is ruled my Mars, god of war and action and that MAY be helpfull. I need this money fast, actions need to happen quickly so hopefully Mars may lend me hand. I have a small green spell candle (i prefer these to big tapers as they dont take as long to burn out so i can let it burn all the way instead of risking snuffing it out). I have my base oil and cinnamon essential oil which i can use to annoint the candle. Cinnamon is one of my favourite herbs and it is good in money spells. The moon is currently waxing which is handy, i want my wealth to grow too. I think i am going to basically attempt a simple ritual, asking the Lord and Lady to help me to gain the money i need to get this house. Nothing too complicated, an offering of coins maybe,  And a small sachet to carry with me, to help overcome obstacles and encourage prosperity and security in my life.

I am also going to light a white candle for all those people who died in china yesterday. I am a little concerned, a close friend of mine is out there teaching not too far from where it occured and i havent heard from her as her computer is broken. I really hope she is ok.

Right, I am off to find some communties and people on this site, and to write this ritual for tonight!

Blessed be.
xxx
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 12:49 pm (no subject)
Tags: , ,
The Hits Tape 6: The Horror continues

Previous entries:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Okay, you've had it easy for long enough. Today we get out the big guns.

First is gentle 80's nostalgia, with the 'on every 80's compilation album ever' special "Is this Love?" by Whitesnake.



And then the unspeakableness...

Johnny Logan with "Hold me Now" (I can't watch this at work, but I'm guessing the album version is even worse). Mawkish. Twee. Fake heartbreak. Vomit-inducing.



And just for context, the completely mad "Livin' in a box", by, er... "living in a box". Just to show you the creative range of these masters of music, the lyrics to this number go something like:
"I'm-a livin' in a box YEAH YEAH Ahm-a livin' in a cardboard box, I'm-a livin' innabox."

I'd say "only in the 80's", but if Bleeding Love can do well here and in the States then there's just not telling what kind of repetitive crap can still make money.



(Will tidy up these vids when I can watch them at home, no idea if they're the right quality yet).

Next entry: Probably Johnny Hates Jazz and Five Star. Euurgh, the horror.
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[info]tyrell
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 01:47 pm Sichuan Earthquake
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For anyone who wants to read up about the earthquake in Sichuan, this post on Shanghaiist is a grueling and absolutely comprehensive source.

* on chinalawblog, a word about the media coverage within China and how it has changed dramatically. His words about en.wikipedia staying unblocked for good in TPTB's ears...

* the BBC blogging about Twitter and the Earthquake. I, for one, love our new news world of blog posts and tweets.
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[info]chinawolf
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 01:01 pm Don't you think he looks unhappy?
Now Feeling: summer is very nice
Tags: ,
I have no opinion on Gordon Brown other that I personally find him a not too bad guy. But I'm no expert on his policies or his political style, so I am well aware that I'm not qualified to comment on his shortcomings as a prime minister. But I can't help thinking that there is a terrible witchhunt going on and that through no fault of his own, this man is getting the short end of the stick even though he has worked so terribly hard to be where he is. Naturally, this can happen to anyone. But I feel pretty sorry for him. What seems to be happening in the British media right now is what I imagine the end of Harriet Jones was like.

Really, now. What the hell does it matter if he's not looking happy and elated, dancing through No 10 like Hugh Grant did in that movie? Why in the world is it abnormal that he gets shouty with people at times? This is a very stressful job, being Prime Minister. Issues that are humongously important have to be decided every single day, tempers can rise. Honestly, has none of those people affronted by the Prime Minister shouting ever watched The West Wing? Or imagined themselves in Mr Brown's shoes?

I might well be wrong to feel sorry for him. Maybe he is a cunning little bastard who schemed his whole life to be where he is, and he deserves this treatment because he is not doing a good enough job as Labour leader and Prime Minister, whatever the circumstances. Can't help thinking he is being walked out of the door undeservedly, though.

Listen to the beginning of this interview on yesterday's Today show to see what I mean. They get the Health Secretary in to talk about social care reform, and then spend 7 minutes of a 17 minute interview on talking about unhappy Gordon Brown looks. And this is the BBC, who are relatively neutral! I shudder to think what the conservative papers are like.

Today: I'm joined by Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, good morning.
Health Secretary: Good morning.
Today: And I do want to talk about Social Care, in a moment...
Health Secretary: Good!
Today: It's hard not to get the impression that things are just falling apart at the moment.
Health Secretary: Oh, is it? God, another episode of True Confessions... Look, I really do want to talk about adult social care and the human fertilisation embryology bill. I think people are tired of this character assassination. [...he's a decent guy, we all know Frank and him don't get along, that's nothing new...] Can't we just talk about things that are really important to people?
Today: We're going to do that, just - why do you think it's all coing out now?
Health Secretary: Well. We're going to do that after another two minutes on it.

Also The Guardian, Should Prime Ministers be happy?
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[info]chinawolf
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 11:20 am Monster Magic
Tags: ,



Fans of the legendary make-up artist Jack Pierce have launched an online petition calling for him to be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Nearly 2600 have already signed up - hope you feel likewise.

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[info]stevegreen
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